The South-West presidential aspirants in Nigeria on the platform of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and leaders of the party from the zone have met, behind closed doors, at the Lagos State House in Marina on Friday, 6th May 2022, ahead of the party primaries, which will hold later this month.
Reports indicate that they have reached an agreement to ensure the region produces the next presidential candidate of the party. A former National Chairman of the APC, Bisi Akande made this known while addressing newsmen at the end of a meeting.
According to the statesman, the South-West APC presidential aspirants, governors and other leaders were united ahead of the 2023 general elections.
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“The party stalwarts and aspirants have agreed to talk to themselves and the public with absolute decorum. We are united as we will ensure that the presidency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will come to the South-West.
“We had a fruitful discussion. We also resolved that everybody should maintain absolute decorum because we are united.” Akande disclosed.
Those present at the meeting included the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo; a former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu; former governor of Ogun State, Ibikunle Amosun; and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila.
Others were the governors of Lagos, Osun, Ogun, Ondo and Ekiti, Messrs Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Gboyega Oyetola, Dapo Abiodun, Rotimi Akeredolu and Kayode Fayemi, respectively..
Also present at the meeting were the Ministers of Works and Housing, Trade and Industry and Investment, and Interior, Messrs Babatunde Fashola, Adeniyi Adebayo and Rauf Aregbesola, respectively.
Other APC leaders at the meeting were: former governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel; the APC National Secretary, Chief Iyiola Omisore; former Deputy governor of Oyo State, Otunba Moses Adeyemo; and former National Vice-Chairman of APC, South-West Zone, Pius Akinyelure; among others.
This was a good and good move, to assert the least, hence highly commendable. It will go a long way to reach a consensus among the various aspirants from the said zone, thereby giving them an advantage over other zones across the federation.
Aspirants from other zones, particularly South-East, need to leverage on such a wonderful step, rather than going around and seeing themselves as enemies.
The myriad of aspirants from the South-East, who are of the view that it’s their time/turn to produce the Nigeria’s president come 2023, shouldn’t be informed or reminded that they are expected to speak with only one voice if they actually want people, or the electorate, to take them seriously.
The fact remains that any zone that eventually achieves consensus in the long run, has the chances of securing the seat at Aso Rock come 2023. This implies the people of the South-West are already one step ahead of others.